Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yorivendell’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Yorivendell’, characterized by its upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; freely branching and vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored foliage; uniform flowering response; early flowering habit; seven-week response time; freely flowering habit; daisy-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets; green-colored immature disc florets; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘YORIVENDELL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium,commercially grown as a potted Chrysanthemum and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Yorivendell’.

The objective of the breeding program is to create new pottedChrysanthemum cultivars that are suitable for year-round production withfreely branching habit, uniform plant growth habit, good vigor,desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time andexcellent postproduction longevity.

The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in March, 2002, in Salinas, Calif. of a proprietaryChrysanthemum×morifolium seedling selection identified as code numberYB-A1704, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary Chrysanthemum×morifolium seedling selection identified ascode number YB-4148, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. Thenew Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected in March, 2003, by theInventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled environment in Fort Myers, Fla. Theselection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit,freely branching habit, vigor, desirable inflorescence form and floretcolors, fast response time and excellent postproduction longevity.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative tip cuttingswas first connected in Fort Myers, Fla. in June, 2003. Asexualreproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this newChrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Yorivendell have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Yorivendell’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Yorivendell’ as a new and distinct pottedChrysanthemum cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching and vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored foliage.    -   4. Uniform flowering response.    -   5. Typically grown as a center-budded or as natural spray type.    -   6. Early flowering habit, seven-week response time.    -   7. Freely flowering habit.    -   8. Daisy-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets and        green-colored immature disc florets.    -   9. Good postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good        substance and color for about four weeks in an interior        environment.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about one week earlier        than plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the female parent        selection differ in ray floret color as plants of the female        parent selection have golden yellow-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about one week earlier        than plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum do not produce pollen whereas        plants of the male parent selection produce pollen.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of theChrysanthemum cultivar Shasta, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,314.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Fort Myers, Fla., plants of thenew Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Shasta in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were taller than plants of        the cultivar Shasta.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about one week        earlier than plants of the cultivar Shasta.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of typical flowering plants of ‘Yorivendell’.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalinflorescences of ‘Yorivendell’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Leamington, Ontario, Canada duringthe autumn in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions andpractices which approximate those generally used in commercial pottedChrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from about 21° C. to 27° C., night temperaturesranged from about 17° C. to 19° C. and light levels ranged from 4,000 to6,000 foot candles. Four unrooted cuttings were directly stuck in 15-cmcontainers, exposed to long day/short night conditions, and pinchedabout two weeks later. At that time, the photoinductive short day/longnight treatments were started. Plants used in the photographs and forthe description were center-budded and were about eleven weeks old. Inthe following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Observations andmeasurements were taken from a single plants.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar    Yorivendell.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number YB-A1704,            not patented. Male, or pollen, parent: Proprietary selection            of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number            YB-4148, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About four days at temperatures of            about 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About ten days at            temperatures of about 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine to thick, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous daisy-type potted Chrysanthemum            typically grown as a center-budded or as a natural spray            type. Stems upright and outwardly spreading giving a            uniformly mounded appearance to the plant. Freely branching            habit, about four to five lateral branches develop after            removal of terminal apex (pinching); dense and full plant            habit. Strong and vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 31 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 26 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 28 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Internode length: About 1.8 cm to 2 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: 137A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 5.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 4.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Palmately lobed.        -   Apex.—Cuspidate to mucronate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Palmately lobed, sinuses between lateral lobes            mostly parallel.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Fine pubescence; veins            prominent on lower surface.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 139A. Developing            foliage, lower surface: 137C. Fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: 147A; venation, 147B. Fully expanded foliage, lower            surface: 147B; venation, 147B.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 147B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with            ligulate-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on            terminals above foliage. Disk and ray florets arranged            acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescence not fragrant,            typical of Chrysanthemum. Typically grown as a center-budded            or as a natural spray type.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plants flower            in the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other            times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development            can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at            least 13.5 hours of darkness). Early flowering habit; plants            exposed to two weeks of long day/short night conditions            followed by photoinductive short day/long night conditions            flower about seven weeks later.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color            and substance for about four weeks in an interior            environment.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering, about 18 to 20            inflorescences develop per plant.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 2 cm. Diameter: About            1.4 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 157A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7.5 cm. Depth (height):            About 2.2 cm. Diameter of disc: About 1.5 cm. Receptacle            height: About 5 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 1.7 cm.            Receptacle color: 146A.        -   Ray florets.—Shape: Ligulate. Orientation: Initially            upright, then about 30° from vertical, eventually            perpendicular to peduncle. Aspect: Initially incurved, then            mostly flat. Length: About 3.7 cm. Width: About 1.2 cm.            Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Attenuate; short corolla tube.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; velvety. Number of ray florets per inflorescence:            About 30 arranged in about three whorls. Color: When            opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155A. Fully            opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D.        -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at center of receptacle.            Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed. Length: About            6 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Number of disc florets per            inflorescence: About 170. Color, immature: Apex: Close to            145A. Mid-section: Close to 145C. Base: Close to 145D.            Color, mature: Apex: Close to 1A. Mid-section: Close to 1B.            Base: Close to 145D.        -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 26            arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 7 mm. Width:            About 3 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, waxy.            Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 146A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: First peduncle: About 6 cm. Fourth            peduncle: About 8.7 cm. Diameter (first peduncle): About            2 mm. Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong,            flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 147B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to            145D. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther length: Less            than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 150B. Pollen amount: None            observed. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets.            Pistil length: About 6 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma            color: Close to 1A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color:            Close to 145D. Ovary color: Close to 157A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under    commercial conditions.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have    demonstrated good tolerance to low temperatures of about 5° C. and    high temperatures of about 38° C.

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yorivendell’ asillustrated and described.